Combination circuit controller



H. V. BELL. COMBINATION CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12, 1921.

Patented-Sept. 5, 1922.

WITNESSES H. v. BELL COMBINATION CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

- APPLICATION FILED FEB. I2, 1921.

Patented Sept. 5, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2 W/ THE 885 8 H. V. BELL.

COMBINATION CIRCUIT CONTROLLER?- APPLICATION Flt ED FEB. iz, 1921.

1 'PatentedSept. 5, 1922.

4 SHEETssHEET 3.

INVEIVTUH //ENA 1/5644.

H. V. BELL. comammow cmcun CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I2, I92]- Patented Sept. 5, 1922. is 4 SHEETS SHEET 4.

A TTORNEYS Fatented Sept. 5, 1922 r n r COMBINATION CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

Application filed'l ebruary 12,1921. Serial No, 444,474.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENR? VwBELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Elmhurst, Flushing, in the county of Queens and State of New-York; have invented a new and Improved Combination Circuit Controller, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates toa means for vari-j ously completing the magneto circuit in an automobile or the like, whereby by the op tional movements of selective circuit-010a ing and circuit-breaking elements variou's combinations can be brought about for the completion of the circuit, the purpose being to permit the driver of the automobile to close the circuit by selectively giving-posi-j tions to the movable elements and at the same time to present ditficulty to one surreptitiously endeavoring to complete the circuit after it has been broken by the driver by a displacement of the circuit-closing elements. 1 i 1 q The nature of the invention, its distinc tive features and advantages will more' clearly appear from the specific description of practical embodiments of the invention as hereinafter given. a

Reference is to be had to the accompany ing drawings forming part of this specification, it being understood that the drawing's are merely illustrative ofpract-ical ex amples of the invention. 7 I Q Flgure 1 1s a plan view of a circult controlling device embodymg my invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sec-.

the movable circuit-making and breaking;

elements; 1 I Figure 7 is a side elevation of one of the movable elements slightly modified;

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view ofanelectric circuit formed" with the device as illustrated in: Figures 1 to 5 Y Figure 9 is a rear elevation supporting the conductor terminals disposed nearest to the operator; l

F gure 10 is a front elevation of that board carrying the conductor terminals and dis posed'remote from the operator;

Figure 11 is an' elevation of the rear' facef of the board shown in Figure 10 or that face disposed toward the operator;

Figure 12 is a plan view illustratinga modified arrangement of the conductor elements; 2 I 4 Figure 13 is a transverse vertical section on the line 134-13, Figure 12, showing the rear face of the partition or board carrying" the termina ls nearest the operator;

*F1gure-14 1s a dlagrammatic view of an electric circuit'that may beemplo'yedwith the arrangement shown in Figures 12 and i -Referring at first more particularly to Figures 1 to 8, a frame 10 is provided havmg a transverse insulating board 11 atthe ice HENRY v. BELL, or ELMHURSTV,IHIELUSHING, nnw Yorun of that board front or that end remote from the operator,-

said board having terminals for a series of conductor elements as will appear, and the numeral 12 indicates a transverse partition boardvrearward' of the board 11 and carry ing the terminals for the conductor elements.

The numeral 13 indicates the rear end or the" rear' closure of the frame 10.

Between the front terminal board-11 and the rear terminal board 12, I providetwo series of circuit-making and Circuit-breaking blocks 14, there being shown in the illus'--' trated examplean upperseries'of five blocks and a lower series oi five blocks. The'two series of blocks 14are with a. view to obtain a large number Of combinations in a com- I parat-ively small space. Any block-of either series may be employed to complete the circuit through the terminals of the partition 11 or on the partitions 12 in accordance with The blocks 14 have pairs otpihs 15 projecting from the one end thereof andfpairs otprothe optional selection of the user.

jecting pins 15 at the opposite end. The

front" pins15 of certain blocks are-er conducting material such asbrass or thelike,

while the front pins 15 of the other blocks may be of insulating material, Figure 6, or, as in Figure 7 both the front and rear pairs of pins 15, 15 may be of conducting material. In the arrangements shown in Figures 1 to 5, the insulating pins on one end of certain blocks are immaterial in said illustrated construction since not functioning as regards the making and breaking of the circuit but are of more importance in the form illus trated in Figures 12 to 1 1 as will, appear. The conductor pins are on a base plate 15 on the block 14 so that the circuit will be completed from one pin through said base to the other pin of the pair; The forward pins 15 are adapted to enter a transverse series of sockets'16 in the board 11 of conducting material for completing a circuit while the rear pins 15 are adapted to. enter conducting sockets 17 in the rear board 12. A series of conductor elements 18 is provided, running from the board 11 to theboard 12 and a the ends thereof are adapted to be secured by binding screws or terminals 19 which are adapted to engage the sockets- A similar arrangement of bindingposts or terminal screws 19 is provided for securingthe rear ends of the conductor elements 18 at the rear board 12.

The arrangement is such that the conductor elements 18 may be connected up with any of the sockets 16, 17 by shifting the binding posts or, screws 19 and the conductor ends to engage particular sockets 16 or 17 so. that the circuit will be completed through selected pairs of pins on the blocks at the boards 11 and 12. In Figures 1 to 5,

two of'the upper series of blocks 1% are shown in the forward positions with their pins 15 in the forward sockets 16 and completing the circuit through the base plates 15 of the respective blocks in coaction with the terminals 19 and conductor elements 18,

while the central one only of the lower series of blocks occupies the forward position completing the circuit through the terminals 19 on the board 11. The remaining blocks, that is to, say, three in the upper series and four in the lower series, are disposed adjacent to the rear board 12. The pins '15 of all the blocks may simply have the function of frictionally engaging certain of the sockets 16, 16", 17, 17 because the remaining blocks by their pins 15 complete the circuit at the boards 1.1 and 12'. Those blocks 14-. functioning to complete the circuit through the sockets 17, 17 of board 12 are reverse from the forward blocks so that their conducting pins 15 are at the rear and presented to said sockets 17,17 to complete the circuit through the adjacent binding posts 19 on the board 12 as will be clear from the circuit diagram,

Fi ure 8.

The binding posts 19 to which adjacent conductors are connected may be coupled by a connecting wire 20. Similarly, those binding posts 19 adjacent to one end of the board 12 may be connected by a conductor element 20 The supporting insulating boards 11 and 12 may have various depressions or grooves 12 12*, 12, 12, to receive the conductors 18 in the, different positions of the latter. a I

it will be understoodthat the detail arrangement of the conductor elements and binding posts is immaterial so that a circuit is formed by conductors running back and forth between the board 11 to the board 12 alternately, the circuit to be variously completed by the blocks 14- and theirpins 1'5, and bases'15.

Insulating partitions 2,1 are disposed between adjacent blocks 14:, said partitions having longitudinal ribs 22 thereon which are received in corresponding grooves 23 in the sides ofthe blocks 14 to guide said blocks in their reciprocating movements. The making of the pins 15 and partitions 21 of insulating material in the arrangement of Figures 1 to 5 may be useful in preventing jump sparks. Separate means is provided for moving each block 1 1 in a forward direction from a position adjacent to the partition board 12 to the front board 11, said means consistingof plunger rods 24%. movable in holes 13 in the rear closure 13 and in holes 25 in the partition 12. Springs 26 ar coiled about said rods 2-1, the rear ends of the springs being suitably adapted to be engaged by transverse pins 2 1" on said rods for compressing a spring a forward movement of a rod and causing the rod to be restoredto normal'position by the reac tion of the spring after a forward movement of the rod. Thus, when a block has been moved from a rear position adjacent to the partition 12 to a forward position tocomplete the circuit with the front board 11, the blocks by engagement of the pins 15 with the sockets 16, 16 will remain in the forward position while'theplunger rods 2-1 will be returned by the springs 26. In order, to restore all the blocks that may be in a forward position a retracting head 27 is provided on a plunger rod 28 and is formed with members 27 'lying in front of theseveral blocks 14. The plunger rod 28 has an operating head or handle 29 at the rear of the head and extends forwardly through. th closure 13 and through a square hole 28 in the partition 12. The sliding of the plunger in the hole 28 or the provision of any equi valent means is for the purpose of'preventing the plunger and the head 27' from. turning. A spring 30 is coiled about the plunger 28 and'in, the rearward movement of said plunger, said spring is engaged by a pin 28? on, the plunger'to cause the hea d 26 and the plunger to be returned to the forward position. In the normal forward position of the may be operated to cause particular blocks 14 in the upper or lowed-series to move forwardly for completing the circuit by their pins 15, those ends of the conductors 18 terminating at the partitions 12 being shifted accordingly for the completion of the circuit. The restoring of the forward blocks to their normal positions by means of head 27, breaks the circuit at the front board 11.

On the other hand an operation of those rods 24 controlling the rearmost blocks 14 will break the circuit at the board 12 by separating the conductor pins 15 thereof from the sockets 17, 17 It will be diflicult, if not impossible, for an unauthorized party to ascertain what blocks will need to be moved to complete the circuit and in practice the operator of an automobile will retract the plunger 27 to restore all the blocks to the rearward inoperative positions and dependent on the selection of particular blocks to again complete the circuit.

Figure 14 showing the circuit diagram, the conductor elements l8 running from the front board 11 to the rear or partition board 12 are in permanent positions and connect in pairs toadjacent binding posts 19 coupled by the connecting wire 20 at both of said boards 11, 12. lVith the permanent conductor arrangement of Figures 1.2, 13 and 14, the blocks 14, Figure 6, are employed with conductor pins 15 at one end and with insulating pins 15 at the opposite end. By reversing the blocks the conductor pins 15 and their bases l5 may be presented at the front or the rear to complete the circuit through given binding posts 19 and leaving the circuit broken between others of the binding posts by reason of the insulating pins 15 The character 125 indicates the conductor ends leading into and from the frame 10 of the structure. It is to be understood that the frame as Well as the operative parts of the circuit controller except the proj ecting ends of the rods 24;, 28 are completely housed in practice by any suitable means (not shown).

I would state in conclusion that while the illustrated examples constitute practical embodiments of my invention, 1 do not limit myself strictly to the mechanical details herein illustrated, since manifestly the same can be considerably varied without departure from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I c.laim:

l. A combination circuit controlling means comprising separated series of terminals, conductor elements running back and forth between said terminals and elements movable back or forth between the respect ve series of terminals, certain of said movable elements having members to complete the circult at one serles of the termmalaand others of said movable elements having between said terminals and elements movable back or forth between the respective series of terminals, certain of said movable elements having membersto complete the circuit at one series of the terminals, and,

others of said movable elements having members to completethe circuit at the terminals of the other series; together with means to restore all of said movable elements into a unitary plane,'and series of individual plungers for said movable ele- Il'lGIllJS and optionally operable independ.

ently of one another to give movement to shift sald movable elements from ad. acentone series of elements to the other series. In the form shown in Flgures l2 and 13,-

class described, including supports in separated planes, conductor elements running back and forth bGtWGGIlSZLlCl supports, reciprocating elements movable between said sup-- ports and coacting means on said reciproeating elements and on said supports to variously complete the circuit at the respective supports through the medium of said reciprocating elements dependent on predetermined positions of the reciprocating elements relatively to the respective supports.

5. A combination circuit controller including supports in separate planes, conductor elements running back and forth between said supports, reciprocating elements movableto or from either support and presenting pins at both ends, conductor sockets on said supports adapted to be engaged by said pins, and means on said sup port to variously complete the circuit fromsaid conductor elements through said sockets and pins; together with means to actinate selectively said reciprocating elements and dispose the same adjacent to one or the other of said supports.

6. A combination circuit 'controller' including supports in separate planes, conducmerits running back and forth be tween 9 .id supports, reciprocating elements movable to or from. either support and presenting'pins projecting from the opposite ends thereof, the pins at one end being of conducting material and the pins at the other end. being of non-conducting material, said elements being reversible to present the 

